Herb and Dorothy
Jul 31 - Aug 02, 2009
(Megumi Sasaki, USA, 2008, DigiBeta, 91 min)
Seattle premiere!
SAM curator Michael Darling will introduce the 7pm screening on July 31
In their modest one-bedroom New York apartment, unassuming couple Herb and Dorothy Vogel quietly amassed one of the world’s most extraordinary collections of minimalist and conceptual art. The Vogels are soul mates, man and wife united in their passion for modern art, their uncanny visual eye and their tireless desire to collect works by artists on the brink of discovery. He is a retired postman; she a former librarian. Starting in the early 1960s the pair managed to parlay their salaries into a priceless, groundbreaking collection that included 4,000 pieces crammed in a tiny space that also included a menagerie of pets. Some works were even drawn or mounted directly on their apartment wall. In 1992 the Vogels donated their collection to the National Gallery, accepting no monetary compensation. It was their wish that the collection remain intact so that the public could experience the works of Richard Tuttle, Christo, Pat Steir and others alongside each other. Herb and Dorothy are charming eccentrics whose story is certain to amuse, confound and inspire those of us who appreciate individuals with the strength of character to follow their dreams.
Michael Darling curator at SAM will introduce the 7pm screening of Herb and Dorothy on July 31. Michael is curator of contemporary art in the new Wright Galleries for Modern and Contemporary Art.
"Full of priceless archival footage and a laundry list of modern American artists, Herb and Dorothy is one of the art-educational experiences of the year." —Publicola
"Highly recommended: Herb & Dorothy is one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen."—Three Imaginary Girls
Watch the trailer:
